I broke my leg - what is best way to get around now

Oh no! First, if you have meds, make sure you bring them with you. :-) If not, you may wish to have a good supply of ibuprofen (or similar) with you. Your leg will get uncomfortable/swollen on the flight, since you won't be able to keep it raised. I agree that critches would be unbearable, but recommend you use a wheelchair service at the airports (and board early, too). You don't need the teeming masses bumping your leg. Roll-a-bouts are a pain on level surfaces (especially if they don't steer), and so I'd imagine would next to useless on cobblestones. A bumpy ride, indeed. It would be difficult to get over the ledges ("Mind the Gap"!) as well, unless you are really good at hopping and have assistance. :-) The train/tube stations you use may or may not have elevators.... Yes, a wheelchair may be exhausting, but I don't know of other options. Perhaps alternate wheelchair/rollabout days? You will be tired in any case. Your body is trying to heal, and the physical aspect of getting around on one leg is also very tiring. Oh, and you may want to bring a refreezable gel pack (in a baggie) in your checked luggage. This will come in handy at the end of each day, when frozen peas are hard to come by. Best of luck to you!

You may want to refer your question to a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician, or a physical therapist. Although they may not know about the specific conditions of the cities you plan to visit, they can recommend assistive devices specifically adjusted to your injury, level of function and desired mobility. I have traveled on a broken leg, and although I found it a bit more challenging, it did not stop me from exploring. Of course, I was about 15 years younger at the time...

I travelled in 1999-2000 with my parents to London, Paris and Scotland. Unfortunately during the year prior to planning our trip, my father became ill and spent 72 days in hospital, 19 days in ICU. This all started in May of '99 and was released by his Dr to travel at Christmas/New Years in November. He had a plethora of medication and bandages that we had to use daily, a wheelchair and a walker to get around. He wasn't going to go "I don't want to be a burden" but we insisted he go - plenty of disabled people travel. That's a little background info - so I do know what its like to travel to Europe with those devices. If you're checking luggage, pack a flathead screwdriver. Go ahead and do the wheelchair - its not that bad. Try to have your TC's get used to it - look for something a little more ergonomically correct - our biggest problem was that we had to lean to push him which was exhausting. Curb cuts in Europe are NOT what they are here - there is a rise to get up the ramp - not a smooth transition. I do NOT recommend a running start - almost lost dad a time or two with that =) He learned to hold on tight! If you can get a WC, get one with mountain bike (wide) tires. We had regular thin tires and when trying to get turned around at a train station, the wheel came off the rim and we had nothing to repair it. This is when a screwdriver is handy! With a WC, backpacks are a must as opposed to carrying a bag.
Can you check with a travel agent about having the airlines meet you at the gates with transportation for you and your TC's? We arranged it ahead of time - a little dicey in Detroit, but wonderful everywhere else. Or contact the airline directly.
Don't try to see as much as you thought you might have before the injury. Cabs in Paris have queues - and only certain ones are HC accessible. And then, they don't want to pick up a person with a WC. Its still easier than the stairs at the train/metros.
PM me with any ???s.
Check for disabled travel info too.

So sorry about your leg. Could you get a walking cast.... I have seen people with a plastic type removable cast with velcro to hold it on. Some use sneakers with them. Ask you doctor and/or physical therapist. Do request a wheel chair at the airport. I did after my knee replacement. I got VIP treatment going through security and onto the plane. Coming home someone wisked us in a wheel chair right up to a handicap area of customs. The wheel chair will take you right up to the plane door. They will have one waiting there when you get home too. If you mean the roll-a-bout suitcase that you can sit on too, it may be a good idea when you are waiting at train stations. I took a colapsible cane with me and used it when I was tired. I wonder if it would give you enough support. Be sure you know how to walk steps. My physical therapist told me this phrase to remember which leg to lead with. "Good leg goes to heaven and bad leg goes to hell". Lead with good leg going up and bad leg going down. Hold on to the railings. If you have luggage maybe someone could take it on the steps for you. At a lot of restaurants in Europe the toilets are not at ground level, so that why I suggest to practice steps at home before you leave. When you are good with them, see how you can do with you luggage. Take one step at a time.

Forgot to say, some museums have wheelchairs you can borrow. My husband got me one in the Imperial War Museum in London and pushed me through it. Also you might want to consider using taxis to get to some of the sites you want to see, because once you are at the site you want to be strong and rested enough to tour the site. I let my husband go off to see all he wanted and I took my time and we met back wherever we were staying for dinner and the evening. The hop on and off bus orientation tours of cities are a good way to get the flavor of the whole place your first day. I used it in London and Rome.

So sorry about your leg. Have you checked with your doctor that it is OK to fly? I ask this because a friend in England was all set to fly to Australia and she fell playing tennis and broke a bone in her wrist. She WAS NOT allowed to fly and had to cancel.

There is no way you are going to be able to use the London Underground....elevators are practically nonexistent or broken!! At most stations, you have to go down very steep, very long escalators. On the Circle Line, there are mainly stairs. I have a problem with these stairs and I am only recuperating from knee surgery.

AS others have said, call your airline(s) to request what they call "special assistance". This is worth its weight in gold as you will not have to wait in long lines and maneouver long distances (am thinking Heathrow here).

I certainly would discuss this problem with a Physical therapist whom I find to be filled with all sorts of practical information. If you cannot be weight-bearing, I can't see any other possibiity than crutches (which are exhausting for long periods of time) and/or a wheelchair. I should think VEnice will be very difficult due to bridges, extreme crowds, narrow sidewalks. Paris and London should be easier but that is relative. Taxis will be a big help. But you would need a folding wheelchair. I don't know what you mean by a roll-about. I see the tube and the metro as real problems. Buses would be easier but you still have to get up/down the steps although in London they have some buses that are lower.

As someone else said, you can get free wheelchairs at the major museums....did this with my Mother and it was a Godsend as although she could walk, she never would have lasted 15 minutes. Check the web sites of all places you plan to visit. Also check that your hotels have elevators. Email EAsyjet.

Wish I could be more optimistic but as they say..where there is a will there is a way!

If you have any questions, please PM me. I wish you luck with this trip.

There are many posts over on tripadvisor.com Paris forums, re wheelchair or molibity challenged travellers, go check them out.

You can rent a wheelchair in Paris at many of the bigger Pharmacies,, and frankly I think its a great idea as you get to skip lines at the ET and the Louvre( and most other sites also I imagine) if in a wheelchair!! See there is a bright side to everything!!

All underground transport be it Tube in London or Metro in Paris will suck, use buses and taxis.

I have a feeling Venice will be most difficult,, but perhaps just really take it easy there, the heat, the crowds, the bridges and stairs and cobblestones are going to make it most challenging I think.

I do not consider Paris super WC friendly, frankly most Europeon cities aren't , at least in older centers , buildings without elevators, cafes with bathrooms down narrow stairs, and narrow sidewalks in many places.

Would I still go.

You better believe it,,
Take a book, and have family park you at a cafe for an hour if you are pooped and they want to race ahead, just get creative and be flexible.

Have fun.

While roll-a-bouts are better than crutches, they are a major pain. Most don’t really steer, and only go in a straight line. They will not handle an escalator, due to their footprint (about the same as a stroller). Although a stroller can be “tipped” to use on an escalator, a roll-a-bout cannot due to weight displacement, etc. Unless a train is WC accessible, or unless you can hop up those stairs on one foot, the roll-a-bout won’t work there, either. For those curious, here is an example: http://www.roll-a-bout.com/. They also come in three wheel versions.
Be very careful in crowds. If your leg is bumped, it could cause major pain/damage. It doesn’t take much. You most likely will not be able to make it through the day without resting. Getting around on one foot is very tiring.
I’m not trying to be a downer, just realistic. The past two years of foot surgeries, non-weight-bearing, physical therapy, etc. have left the discomforts, challenges, etc. fresh in my mind…. I understand your determination for a great trip. Best of luck!

BTW, I hated the crutches and roll-a-bout almost equally. I was able to stay home during my recuperation, and scooted or crawled around with kneepads and gloves (and worn-out seat of pants). Where there's a will, there's a way. I know you'll get it done!

Don't even think about using the tube in London. There is a much easier solution. The new London buses are built to be wheelchair friendly. Their boarding platform drops to street level on pneumatics and there is wheelchair positioning inside the bus. These are not the old 'double decker' big red buses but the new single decker 'bendy buses'.

Rescheduling the trip is out of the question. "

Dear Janice,

Why? Try to make this a sound medical decision. Without knowing the extend of the break, it is difficult to be sure, but it sounds as if your proposed trip might delay your recovery or even reinjure the fracture. Remember that the leg must last a long time!

Rescheduling is out of the question, just because we have all our reservations made, most of which are non-refundable and I doubt there will be another summer that I can convince all my children to go (21 and 18 year old sons - doing stuff with mom & dad isn't so cool anymore).

I will be out of the splint but will need to do a month of physical therapy before I can be 100% weight bearing. I don't think the trip will be a problem from a medical standpoint as long as I don't try to walk using my bad leg.

A roll-a-bout is a scooter device on which you kneel with your bad leg and use your other leg to propel you. It is a little clumsy but far better than crutches. I was hoping to hear from someone who may have used such a device and how well they worked on cobblestones, trains, etc. I think I could probably handle escalators just fine but stairs will be out of the question.

Could you use one of those walkers with the seat so you can sit when you need. And maybe have a cane as backup?

You should certainly plan ahead that you will only be able to do one site a day, period. Set your priorities. Have a frank conversation with your family about letting them go ahead and have fun without you. This is not your trip to go hiking about, this is your trip to sit and people-watch. (sounds like you already had your "trip") Do a site in the morning by taxi, park yourself in a cafe, and meet up with them later for dinner and to share stories.

Janice
Would you be able to get a Doctors note? Contact Easy Jet in advance and see what Special Assistance/Services they can offer you.

Services are in place for travellers with limited or reduced mobility. Passenger Service Agents can transport you to the Gate. Keep in mind that Gates can be a long walk, especially on an injury.

Pre-boarding is also available. Don't hesitate to ask for assistance, that's what we're there for!

Take it easy!

F/A